Churchill Downs Notebook

CHURCHILL NOTEBOOK

MAY 21, 2010

by Frank Cotolo

The Triple Crown began at Churchill Downs and the famed racetrack had a major

impact upon Saturday's Preakness (G1), with the top six finishers all preparing

under the Twin Spires.

The

great racing in Louisville continued last week with four more programs and 41 races now

in the books as the meet ensues

into deep summer.

Two fast-track days and two sloppy-track days made up the four-program week

from May 13 through May 16 and the fans stayed consistent, choosing 37-percent

winners over the two surfaces through the off-and-on weather.

We had more winners from our Horses to Watch list, making our suggestions

continue to prove worthy of following. More about those winners and how to best

use the list are explained below.

The highlight of this weekend's racing at Churchill Downs is Saturday's

Louisville H. (G3). The $100,000 turf event will feature 11 older horses at a

dozen furlongs.

Surface report

The fast and sloppy conditions did nothing to hurt a definite bias for front

speed on the main track. Although going wire to wire only produced 24 percent of

the week's winners, being close to the pace delivered a whopping 52 percent of

the victories. That means speed in general was responsible for 78 percent of the

33 dirt affairs.

Coming from four or more lengths behind mustered up eight winners (24

percent).

On the turf -- two races were held during rainy weather -- it was fairly

better for up-close and pure-speed winners. Six of the eight races went to front

runners while only a pair came from well off the pace to score.

Trainers

Paul McGee had the best week with four winners, followed closely by Tom

Proctor and Steve Asmussen, both with a trio of victories. Dale Romans, Albert

Stall, Wallace Dollase, Ken McPeek and Forrest Kaelin each doubled.

Asmussen and McPeek both added a debut win to their totals. McPeek has sent

out two so far this meet.

HORSES TO WATCH

Our Horses-to-Watch lists have been productive. Not all of the winners have

returned to win at Churchill. They come from our notebooks, including Keeneland

and the Fair Grounds. Our suggestions include watching the listed horses twice

at any track or tracks they return to race. This has been working very well

recently. Here are winners (those that finished in the money are not noted) from

those lists that raced since our May 14 Churchill Notebook, in win-price order:

HIGH KICKING DREAM (Almostashar), $71.20

BUILT TO PRECISION (Pure Precision), $11.20

PHOSPHORESCENT (Rock Slide), $6.00

HAWAIIAN SKY (Parker's Storm Cat), $3.40

Thursday (5/13)

3RD -- MOONSHINE ALICE (Straight Man) had to race three wide for a while to

challenge and lost too much ground to kick it in.

6TH -- BE RICH (Sarava) fought hard for the lead but couldn't keep it; held

well for third at 6-1.

Friday (5/14)

3RD -- OUR LUCKY SOX (Crown Ambassador) was slow to begin and when he revved

up had to go far too wide to make a bid.

8TH -- EVACUATION ROUTE (Omega Code) waited too long on the grass before

mounting a five-wide chase that got him third.

11TH -- MISS BULLDOG (Omega Code) was second in her debut and claimed, which

might have been a good move considering she closed well on this speed-favoring

track and got third.

Saturday (5/15)

8TH -- SATISFIED MIND (Spanish Steps) is a bet-back proposition off this

claimer where he soared very wide to close and record the win impressively.

Sunday (5/16)

4TH -- SWEET STARLET (Five Star Day) is a bet-back, winning this maiden

claiming very suavely at 8-1.

10TH -- MORE THAN WILLING (More Than Ready) drifted and after straightening

out bumped another horse, essentially knocking himself out of contention with a

horrid trip that allows us to toss this race.